Renua to tell voters it could be ‘watchdog’ coalition party
Party releases election manifesto
RENUA Ireland’s election campaign will involve the party offering to be a third partner in a possible rainbow coalition.
The strategy will be to tell voters that Lucinda Creighton’s party will keep a careful eye on Taoiseach Enda Kenny and his Labour partners should the warring Coalition partners need a third political leg to form a government after the forthcoming General Election.
Tomorrow, Renua Ireland will be the first party to launch its election manifesto – with the vote expected to take place within two months.
The party will prioritise five key principles, including a zero-tolerance approach to crime, a flat tax of 23% and a multibillion euro investment in housing and childcare for working families.
Commenting on the early launch of the manifesto, Ms Creighton said: ‘We want to set the agenda for Election 2016 early. Issues such as childcare and housing are the social issues of our generation. These are ideas that have been in gestation for a year; we believe they will pass the test of an election campaign and we believe they will define the campaign because they are the people’s ideas and concerns.
‘A key Renua strategy in the election will be to position itself as a party people can trust in government.’
Currently Fine Gael and Labour are favourites to be re-elected but they will struggle to gain a majority.
This means that, like the Rainbow Coalition of 1995, Fine Gael and Labour will be looking for a third partner to secure a working majority.
One senior source noted: ‘We will be campaigning on our role as a potential watchdog. Labour and Fine Gael have littered the political landscape with broken promises.
‘Fine Gael wants power on their own or with the support of Independents. The questions we will be asking the voters are, “Do you want Michael Lowry or Lucinda to hold the keys to
‘It will position itself as a party people can trust’
the cabinet table? Do you want to reward the politics of ‘promises are something you do at elections’?”
‘Our plan will be to ask the people if they feel safe with such an option given the Taoiseach’s track record in areas such as Moriarty or the IBRC.
‘Renua Ireland, unlike other opposition parties like Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin, actually want to be in government, if we get the people’s mandate. But we will not stay in power at any cost. Our track record proves we don’t believe promises are just for election time. We believe promises should be kept. We have the scars to prove this is the case,’ the source claimed.